Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
GET LOST IN ALFAMA
There's no place like the labyrinthine Alfama for ditching the map to get lost in sun-dappled alleys and squares
full of beauty and banter. Its narrow
becos
(cul de sacs) and
travessas
(alleys) lead you on a spectacular wild
goose chase past chalk-white chapels and tiny grocery stores, patios shaded by orange trees, and João's freshly
washed underpants. The earthy, working-class residents,
alfacinhas,
fill the lanes with neighbourly chatter, wafts
of fried fish and the mournful ballads of fado. Experiencing Alfama is more about luxuriating in the everyday
than ticking off the big sights. Take a serendipitous wander through lanes fanning out from Rua de São Miguel,
Rua de São João da Praça and Rua dos Remédios.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Príncipe Real,
Santos & Estrela
West of Bairro Alto, these serene and affluent tree-fringed neighbourhoods slope down to
the Rio Tejo, and are dotted with boutique hotels, art galleries, vine-clad courtyards and
antique shops. This offbeat corner of Lisbon harbours a handful of must-sees including a
neoclassical basilica, exotic gardens, a cavernous ancient art museum, plus the neoclassic-
al Palácio da Assembleia da República, home to Portugal's parliament.
